Summer Vocation; watcha gonna do?

Summertime is my favorite time of year. The reasons I love this season are endless! However over the years, those reasons have changed.

I do not love Summer because there is a complete lack of responsibility, I think responsibility is a good thing to have year-round. It's the change in the types of responsibilities that I love! One of those responsibilities being a summer job.

One of those responsibilities being...a summer job. 

Over the years I have been many things. Lifeguard, Sales Associate, Daycare worker, to name a few. All of these jobs taught me different things that I think were/are valuable to a young adult. 

1. Lifeguard 

Yes, I spent two summers at Big Splash in Tulsa/// Do the wave.

As a Lifeguard I was responsible for the lives of people who maybe I would have been doing the world a huge favor if I would have turned my head as they struggled in the water.

I say this completely joking of course, but if you had seen someone attempting to swim in the wave pool with two broken arms, it might have crossed your mind as well.

2. Sale Associate

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You might recognize this popular commercial, I worked at the place where things "speak to you"

Here I learned all about the world of retail. Being my first retail job, there were days when I was astonished at how much people will spend on over priced couch pillows, or other miscellaneous home decor items.

I learned about daily sales goals, if you treat a customer like you would your mother, 9 times out of 10 they will buy from you, and that if you prove to be a hard worker, you will be punished by being put on truck at ungodly hours of the morning. 

3. Daycare worker

These are my nephews, not at a daycare, but taking care of them helps me see first hand how nurturing, love and affection influence a child

This is my other nephew, Roman, enjoying an ice cream cone. 

As a daycare worker I learned a lot of things. I learned a lot about infant/baby care and how much of a time commitment having a child can be.

Infants cannot be left alone, neither can toddlers, or 7 year olds. Some days I found myself counting down the hours to when I could leave some days and then I realized, if I were to be mother, there's never a "qutting time".

This job taught me the most out of all of them. 

So there you have it, A glimpse into my past few summers. Whatever it is that you do over the summer, don't be dead weight, do you job to your best ability, and for goodness sake take pride in your work!

Growing up & moving on

Every year when May comes around there are graduation parties to be had, moving, job searching, etc. These things are always huge reality checks. I will not be graduating this May, instead i'll be graduating in December, and with my brother, fiance, twin, and brother-in-law all graduating this may, I have had to come to terms with it. 

Another thing seniors everywhere are coming to terms with? Our nasty little friend called change.

Last week my roommate of 4 years and I closed the door (literally) on being roommates forever as we moved out of our apartment. A flood of emotions came over me as we walked out of the door and closed a chapter of our lives. 

Here we are forcing some smiles before leaving our crappy apartment forever. 

Something I realized that day was that we weren't the only ones experiencing what I like to call the "Peter Pan syndrome" 

If you look this definition on the internet, you'll find something about a man not wanting to grow up. But being a child of the 90's and being raised on all good Disney movies including Peter Pan, to me it means a group of people who don't want things to change because change isn't fun, a lot of times it hurts, and most times it means saying goodbye. 

Everywhere 20 somethings are looking for the "second star to the right and straight on till morning" (neverland that is...) but we are faced with reality of being grown ups, apartment hunting, moving out, and for some of us officially being on our own for the first time.  

I'm getting married this summer so along with my school changes, my whole life is about to change, for the better!

There are a couple verses that I cling to in times like these: 

"Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous, do not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go" Joshua 1:9

Furthermore...

"Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever." 

Hebrews 13:8

How comforting is that? No matter where I am, in 10 years or 20 years the Lord is steadfast and will not be moved. So as we go on with our lives, say goodbye to some people, and even meet new ones, the Lord will go before us and we can take comfort in that, ALWAYS.